I am new to this so please don't crucify me for asking this question, but how do you save seeds from a ripend pepper for use next year or trading? I want to salvage atlease one to two peppers from each plant. I also heard about dehydrating them, but that is for later use and storage right? Any info would be great.
-
Do you need help identifying a 🌶?
Is your plant suffering from an unknown issue? 🤧
Then ask in Identification and Diagnosis.
Saving seeds.....
- Thread starter bamaboy1975
- Start date
Drying your seeds on a paper towel for a week or so will suffice,
just ensure they're not at all flexible, and snap when folded... then you can bag them up!
Pepper seeds are pretty easy going.
They do however, cross very easily. So if you have more than one variety growing near one another (they needn't be that near) then you may end up with a hybrid.
just ensure they're not at all flexible, and snap when folded... then you can bag them up!
Pepper seeds are pretty easy going.
They do however, cross very easily. So if you have more than one variety growing near one another (they needn't be that near) then you may end up with a hybrid.
DP sorry... 
I clean out the seeds from the pod and put them on a paper plate that I've written the name of the pepper on. Then I put the seeds in an open place like my fireplace mantel, or on top of my refrigerator, for 5-6 days to let them dry. Then I label a 2x3 baggie and put the dried seeds in it, and I then place this baggie inside a larger sandwich bag and put it in the fridge until I need them.
Alan
Alan
Why the fridge? And do they need to stay in the fridge until next season? You also said double ziplock bag each of them, would one ziplock bag work or do you use the second ziplock bag as a redundancy thing incase one fails.
I put them in the fridge because it is a cool, dry environment and is more suitable for storage than room temp. I put all of my smaller 3x2 seed bags into larger baggies because it keeps the area neater.
Alan
Word! Thanks for the help and I will try that for sure. Thanks for the help again.
I have been told that you want to dry out the seeds for around 55 days before you hydrate them for planting. After that, they can stay dried until next year, or whenever you want to plant them.
You will not want to use my method, but I have been storing seeds in general for a couple of decades, and on the side, I sell seeds for peppers, dyckias, and mainly cycads. I have heard that with my method, seeds like this can stay viable for 4 or 5 years, at least. I dry out the seeds on a plate for a few days and then put them in paper packets. (paper, because it breathes, plastic bags are not good for this)I put the paper packets labeled with the species, or type, and the date they were stored and put them in a mason jar with indicating desiccant in the bottom. This will keep the seeds dry enough to avoid mold or fungus. I found something cool, that may not be needed at all, but to me, gives an extra help,I found this little devise, that REALLY works, even though it looks like it might not:
http://www.pump-n-seal.com/pumpnseal.htm
It will vacuum seal anything, and also is great for instantly marinating meat. So after I put the packets in the jar, I take the air out of it, and then put in the refrigerator, because the lower temperature keeps the seeds viable longer. I use this method for storing cycad pollen, and have used pollen that had been stored for 10 years, and it still made viable seeds.
You will not want to use my method, but I have been storing seeds in general for a couple of decades, and on the side, I sell seeds for peppers, dyckias, and mainly cycads. I have heard that with my method, seeds like this can stay viable for 4 or 5 years, at least. I dry out the seeds on a plate for a few days and then put them in paper packets. (paper, because it breathes, plastic bags are not good for this)I put the paper packets labeled with the species, or type, and the date they were stored and put them in a mason jar with indicating desiccant in the bottom. This will keep the seeds dry enough to avoid mold or fungus. I found something cool, that may not be needed at all, but to me, gives an extra help,I found this little devise, that REALLY works, even though it looks like it might not:
http://www.pump-n-seal.com/pumpnseal.htm
It will vacuum seal anything, and also is great for instantly marinating meat. So after I put the packets in the jar, I take the air out of it, and then put in the refrigerator, because the lower temperature keeps the seeds viable longer. I use this method for storing cycad pollen, and have used pollen that had been stored for 10 years, and it still made viable seeds.
millworkman
eXtreme
If you want to use them immediately they do not need to be dried. You can pull them straight from the pod and put them in some soil.